Paranoia
by theoneandonlyCatseye
Summary: Something is off in the Sanctuary but Will and Helen pass the feeling off as paranoia. What will happen when the truth behind this dark presence is discovered?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim to own any rights to Sanctuary or the characters of Sanctuary. I am merely borrowing them for my own creative amusement. The story and original characters in this work of fiction are the sole property of the author.

Spoilers: This story assumes the reader has knowledge up to Season 3 Episode 17. From there on out it diverts into AU.

Warnings: This story is rated M. I will not offer more specific warnings about content, so please keep in mind that anything can happen. This story is still a work in progress and I do not want to censor where the story may naturally lead to make it fit a more general audience rating. I did classify this as horror/romance so that should give you a clue that it may head into dark territory at times. If your sensibilities are in any way offended, I make no apologies as you have been warned.

**A/N: Sorry to have been gone for so long. Life has been very greedy with my time. Sorry to do this to readers who've been following this story so far, but chapters 1 through 6 are now revised versions. I have been fiddling with chapter 7 lately, which should hopefully be ready soon, but since it's been a while revisited my previous work and found it lacking in certain places. The revised content is not all that different, but it does flow much better in my opinion. This story is my first and is therefore my baby. I just want it to be the best it can be. Please keep in mind that I have no beta, so if something slips past my radar it is all my fault. On that note, if anyone is interested in betaing for me, please let me know. It is always helpful to get outside feedback and definitely speeds up the writing process in my opinion. Thanks. Enjoy!  
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Chapter 1

Dr. Will Zimmerman sat at his desk tapping the cap of his black, ball-point pen irately against his blotter and tried to force his mind to focus on the stacks of paperwork before him. He wasn't quite sure why he was in such a foul mood today, but ever since they got back from France two weeks ago he'd been in a funk. Who was he kidding? Bipolar was more like it and he wasn't the only one. Both he and Magnus had been greatly affected by what happened. The reality of the situation was just too incredible for his mind and body to handle. Worst of all, there was no one who could understand how he was feeling, except one. He knew she was still grieving for Raavi and the townspeople that never were. She didn't talk about it but he knew she was still blaming herself. For the past two weeks she'd spent most of her time holed up in either her office or the library trying like mad to come up with a new theory as to who could have created the time dilation field in Carentan. She was killing herself trying to figure out what she possibly could have done to prevent it. Will hated to be witness to her daily masochism and it only added to his own anger to think about it.

The rhythm of Will's pen tapping against the blotter sped up to an exuberant drum roll and he nearly flung it across the room when he was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of his cell phone ringing. Instead he accidentally smacked the cap of the pen squarely across his thumbnail sending forth a roar of anger that, even to him, seemed entirely overdramatic. Will grabbed for the offending device cleverly hidden under a manila file folder. He flashed his eyes to the screen and saw that it was Abby calling. It had been very awkward between them lately. The constant guilt of nearly having given up all hope of ever seeing her again, although understandably human, still weighed heavily on Will's conscience. He took a deep breath and stared at the phone in his hand for another second before deciding it would be best not to answer it. He was too worked up at the moment to have any sort of real conversation with her anyway. He decided he would call her later when his cooler head returned.

Will sat silently for a minute anxiously running his eyes over the contents of his desk. His left leg began to jiggle, foot mimicking the previous tap dance of his ink pen. His eyes finally rested on a framed picture of his adopted family. It was taken in Magnus's office and they were all holding up copies of 'The Adjuster', a comic book Walter had written about his exploits with the abnormal super suit. It felt a little silly, but Henry insisted that they needed to document such a 'momentous occasion in literary history'. Magnus just smiled at that and shook her head as they each opened up a copy of the comic to a page that contained their characters, or as Walter put it the characters 'loosely' based on them, and held them up proudly for the camera. Thinking about that day brought a crooked little smile to Will's lips as he remembered sitting next to Magnus on the couch giggling over Walter's interpretation of the Sanctuary team. He loved it when she laughed. Somehow everything seemed right with the world when Helen Magnus laughed.

His trip down memory lane soured instantly when it suddenly hit him just how long it had actually been since he last heard her laugh, or had even seen her smile for that matter. Agitation took hold on his body as his mind involuntarily flashed back to Carentan once again. He couldn't escape it. Starting to feel like the walls were closing in around him, he practically burst forth from his desk chair and aimlessly paced around the office. He tried to stop himself from thinking about the young, dark-haired girl that cared so much for him. The look on her face, the terror in her eyes, as the time dilation field disintegrated around them would forever be burned into his memory.

"Fuck!" Will swore as he kicked a small, metal waste basket across the room, stubbing his big toe in the process.

"Jesus, Will. Get a grip" he said aloud to himself.

Will knew that he needed to purge this anger somehow. With that thought he headed out of his office and to the elevator.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was two o' clock in the morning and Helen Magnus had fallen asleep on the couch in her office for the third time that week, sitting up no less. Her head snapped to attention, now acutely aware of the fact that she was covered in earl grey. She had been so tired that she'd fallen asleep mid sip, thus spilling the cups contents all over her white, button-down shirt as well as the files resting in her lap. Helen groaned as she tugged at the tea soaked top, now sticking uncomfortably to her chest. She looked down at her lap to find the pages in the folder covered with puddles of brown liquid; much of the text now completely unreadable.

"Damn it" she huffed, thoroughly annoyed.

She couldn't help the anger that arose at the thought of her own weakness. To succumb so easily to exhaustion was not like her. Helen was absolutely determined to find some answers about the events at Carentan. This past year she'd been taken by surprise too many times and she knew that she couldn't afford to let it happen again, not when the stakes were so high.

Helen sat facing the now dwindling fire letting its warmth wash over her as she closed her eyes, breathing deeply. Relaxation wasn't exactly her forte, but she supposed these exercises were better than the alternative. She tightened the muscles in her body one by one and then working her way up from the tips of her toes, she let go letting her weary form sink into the sofa cushions beneath her. Still unbelievably tense from the neck up, Helen began to rub circles at her temples as if trying to erase whatever mind barriers were keeping her from the answers she desired. Her hands stilled as she felt a shift in the atmosphere. Something felt different, she just couldn't say what. Helen tried to ignore the chill rising from the base of her spine, but a loud pop from the fireplace startled her out of her reverie.

She promptly stood up to clear away her unfortunate mess, needing to do something with her hands, but the sudden movement sent the blood rushing straight to her head. She swayed, her knees buckling as a tingling sensation overwhelmed her entire body and little black blotches rapidly clouded her vision. Helen quickly clamped on to the arm of the couch to keep herself from falling. She held on tight, steadying herself as she waited for her vision to clear. Once she was again in full control of her body, Helen started straightening up her office. If her manservant were to find it in this state she would likely receive yet another lecture on the importance of rest.

A faint thudding sound started to permeate Helen's hearing as she tidied the room. It was barely even audible, but she could practically feel its waves surrounding her. She shivered again and began to wonder if it was the sound of her own heartbeat racing to her ears. Helen started to hasten her pace, determined to leave behind her office for the night. Obviously the chill from wearing wet clothing and her current state of exhaustion were starting to make her a little loopy. '_You are being ridiculous'_ she thought. _'You are not afraid to be alone in your own office at night'_! There it was, the cold hard reality that stopped her in her tracks, fear had snuck up on Helen Magnus and she had no idea why. With that realization, anger started to work itself into a tight little ball in the pit of her stomach. She clenched her jaw tight and defiantly went about finishing her task.

Just as she was about to put out the fire, Helen was overcome by the sensation of being watched. She stiffened her posture, not daring to move a single muscle as she felt a set of eyes burning holes in her back. The thudding noise came rushing back to her ears once again and this time it sounded closer and it was picking up pace. She held her ground, listening intently even as a single droplet of tea ran a trail down the length of her leg causing her body to shiver. She whipped her head around quickly to find only empty space. Never leaving her position in front of the fireplace, Magnus carefully surveyed the office looking into each shadowy corner searching for the pair of eyes that were surely still studying her. The thudding became softer again, but was still there, a constant that filled out the symphony of humming electricity and soft air against the window glass. Helen reached slowly for the iron poker next to the mantle and gripped it tightly in her hand. Screwing up a nerve, she slowly stalked towards the floor-length drapes adorning her window. She held her breath with each step, extremely conscious of where she placed each stiletto clad foot. Although she was trying desperately not to make any noise, Helen was absolutely certain if someone were behind the curtain they could already hear her pounding heart a mile away. When she reached the window she slowly curled one hand into the delicately embroidered material and yanked it open with one clean jerk. Finding nothing behind either of the drapes, she breathed a deep sigh of relief. Helen started to chuckle at the utter ridiculousness of the situation, her shoulders shaking with each uneven breath. Finally she clapped her free hand over her mouth to prevent her bout of giggles from erupting into full blown hysterics.

"Here's another juicy little anecdote for your psychoanalysis, Will" she huffed, expelling the remaining chuckles from her tired body.

Helen walked back over to the fire place and replaced the iron poker in its rightful position and finished putting the fire to bed, deciding it was long past time she did the same with herself. As darkness enshrouded the room, she headed for the door moving a little more swiftly than usual. She told herself it was just because she was in a hurry to crawl into her warm bed and replenish herself with some much needed sleep. She couldn't believe that she had allowed herself to become so exhausted that her mind had started playing tricks on her like this. As her fingers grasped the door knob she yanked at it with surprising force and practically catapulted herself to the other side of the door. She slammed the door shut and turned her key in the lock, imprisoning the darkness lest it get any fancy ideas like trying to follow her.

Riding in the elevator, Magnus felt a renewed sense of calm start to wash over her. She knew she was just being silly. She had run herself ragged and this little freak out was just her body's way of screaming at her to get some rest. As the elevator grew nearer its destination the thudding noise returned with renewed vigor. Any other night, Helen would have thought to bring her walkie with her and could have called out to Henry to investigate the noise. This, however, was not any other night. When the elevator doors opened the sound grew in intensity yet again.

As she vacated the elevator and stepped out into the dimly lit hallway, Magnus felt a new wave of anger washing over her. She would not be terrorized by a noise, especially since there was probably some painfully ordinary cause behind it. It could be an abnormal on the loose for all she knew, but if that were the case Henry or the Big Guy would surely have contacted her when the incident began. There would also no doubt be quite the commotion going on with her pajama-clad employees sprinting through the halls carrying stunners and yelling obscenities. Helen smiled slightly at the mental image the thought conjured. She would just have to investigate further once she's gotten to her room.

Her steps quickened with each passing second. It seemed the nearer she got to her destination the louder the sound was becoming. Helen was almost certain she knew what the sound was but her brain just refused to define it. Finally, the bedroom door was in her sight. As she rounded the corner to make a dash for the handle, Helen was hit full force by something solid and was knocked to the ground. The wind knocked out of her lungs, it took her a moment to take stock of what had just happened. Her eyes were closed, the thudding noise was gone, and something heavy and soft was lying on top of her.

Before she had time to react, a familiar voice pulled her out of her shock.

"Magnus? Oh God, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" said the disembodied voice of Will Zimmerman.

Helen felt the weight on top of her body start to rise and slowly opened her eyes to find the face of her young protégé hovering above her, blue eyes full of concern. Her breath was still coming in uneven spurts as she tried to calm her racing heart.

"Yes, Will. I am all right. You gave me quite a start there." She managed between breaths.

Will and Magnus locked eyes while they attempted to collect themselves once again. For a split second, he could have sworn he saw fear in her eyes, but it quickly disappeared and was replaced with the softness of relief. It wasn't until he felt Magnus starting to stir beneath him that he realized he was still basically straddling her, holding the full force of his weight off of her with his arms. Will cleared his throat and quickly extricated himself from the rather precarious position. He tried his best to hide his obvious embarrassment as he offered a hand to help his boss back up to her feet.

"Sorry" Will started. "I didn't think anyone else was still up so I decided to go for a run, work off some of the excess energy that was keeping me up."

As she dusted herself off, Helen took a moment to take in the appearance of her friend who was now sheepishly staring at his feet. He was dressed in an old cotton t-shirt, green basketball shorts, and a pair of white cross-trainers. His face was red and beaded with sweat, as was the rest of him.

" It's quite alright Will. You'll just have to be a little more careful in the future when using the Sanctuary halls for recreational running." Helen said only teasing him a little.

Will smiled and turned his gaze back to his boss. He'd been so rattled by literally running into his boss that he hadn't noticed her disheveled appearance until just now.

"Whoa. Magnus. What happened here?" he said pointing at her stained top and pencil skirt.

"Ah, this?" she asked gesturing to her damp outfit. "Just the hazard of drinking tea long past one's bedtime, I'm afraid."

Will smiled warmly and felt himself relax slightly. He'd spent a full hour in the gym and nothing, so he decided he'd simply run until he passed out from exhaustion because apparently that was the only way he was going to get any relief. Who knew just one embarrassing run in with Helen Magnus was all it would take to knock the stick right out of his you know what? He chuckled softly as his body settled back into its normal rhythm.

"You do know what will happen if the Big Guy finds out?" he teased her.

"I don't see how he could possibly find out seeing as any late-night runner with a story to tell would surely suffer the same fate" she offered innocently with an angelic smile.

"Okay, you win." Will said as he put up his hands in mock surrender. "Check and mate."

Magnus giggled softly at Will's gesture. She couldn't help it, she was so exhausted and so relieved that she wasn't alone in her office feeling paranoid anymore. She looked up to find Will smiling at her. She walked over, gave his hand a little squeeze and bid him goodnight. As Will watched her disappear behind her bedroom door he let out a contented sigh as he felt the last of his anger wash away. _'She laughed'_, he thought. _'All is right with the world'._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Will."

If he hadn't known better, he might have sworn it was only the wind that echoed softly through the dark, endless halls of the Sanctuary, but the sound was unmistakable. Her voice was airy and sweet, almost ethereal as it flowed to his ears. Helen was calling out to him from somewhere deep inside the darkness. He was still for a moment, listening closely, trying to determine from where the sound was emanating. It seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at all.

"Magnus? Where are you?" he called out into the dark.

"Will!" Helen's voice came again, this time louder and sounding distressed.

Will's heart was thumping loudly in his chest as he called out once more, noting that the emergency lights were apparently not working. Only soft pools of blue moonlight saved the hall from complete blackness. It was unusual for the Sanctuary to lose auxiliary power. Whatever was happening must be very bad.

Helen started calling out to him again and he could swear she must be crying. Will tried desperately to navigate the corridors, but the voice seemed to be coming from all directions. Adrenaline was pumping hard through his veins as Helen's voice became more frantic with each passing second. He came to a dead stop at the end junction of the hall and tried to get a grip on his thoughts. He had to pick a direction and knew with absolute certainty he couldn't afford to be wrong.

Just then, a blood curdling scream resounded through the hall and Will's blood ran ice cold. Without a second's pause he broke into a sprint, his heart pounding so hard he thought it might burst!

"Help! Will!", she cried.

"Magnus!", he called at the top of his lungs.

If he didn't know any better he'd swear the corridor was stretching out in length, preventing him from ever reaching its end. Will was now hyperventilating as he felt her being pulled further away from him. The sound of her voice was fading, as if it were being swallowed up by some unknown force. He continued to push his body harder, not daring to look back at the dark presence trailing close behind. The moonlight was disappearing fast. His limbs were growing heavy as he struggled against the encroaching darkness, pulling him down into black. He felt like he was falling.

Slowly, Will became aware of something soft beneath his body and was surprised when another voice suddenly pierced the darkness.

"Hello! Earth to Will!

Will awoke suddenly, greeted by a killer head rush and a very annoyed Kate standing at the foot of his bed. He groaned and closed his eyes shutting out the harsh sun. His head was in a tail spin and his body covered in cold sweat.

"Come on already. You're late for the staff meeting!" she huffed.

He choked out a startled cry when he felt a pair of jeans pelt him in the face.

"Hey!" Will shot up in his bed and caught a t-shirt Kate threw him in much the same way.

He peeled the shirt off his face and glared at Kate's retreating figure.

"Come on. Chop, Chop William!" She called back over her shoulder before disappearing down the hall.

Will grunted and let his body fall back onto the bed for a minute. Normally, he would be panicking about sleeping through his alarm. He knew, however, that after last night he had truly needed the sleep and honestly wasn't feeling too apologetic about it. It was just too bad the sleep he got hadn't been very restful. With all the extra stress he'd been under the past few weeks, it was no wonder he was starting to have mood swings, not to mention weird ass dreams. He was just starting to drift off once again, when a voice shattered his blessed silence like a slap to the face.

"Will!" yelled Kate.

"Yeah. I'm up!" He called back.

As Will groggily forced himself out of bed and started to get dressed, he couldn't help but think that Kate was getting way too comfortable barging into his room. Thinking of ways he could teach her a lesson, a mischievous little grin found its way to his lips. Maybe if he started sleeping naked above the covers she wouldn't be so quick to come charging in anymore. Granted, there was no guarantee that next time she would be the one to find him. He never did know exactly who might need to rush past his threshold in the middle of the night; this _was_ the Sanctuary after all. He wasn't all that keen on the idea of accidentally giving Henry or the Big Guy a free show, as amusing as that might be. Magnus, however... He started to picture what her reaction might be to finding her protégé stretched out completely nude above the covers of his bed. His punchy smile grew wider as he finished buttoning the fly of his jeans.

All eyes fell on Will when he finally sauntered through the office door a full fifteen minutes late.

"Sorry I'm late." He mumbled as he made his way over to the group.

He did his best to avoid direct eye contact with anyone, especially Kate, as he walked past the couch and slipped into an empty armchair next to Magnus. Will braced himself for the scolding he was surely about to receive, but was surprised when it didn't come. He raised his eyes to meet Helen's. She raised her brow as if challenging him to break the silence first, to launch into some lengthy and pathetically weak excuse for why he was late. He knew this game well and instead opted for silence and continued to hold her gaze, offering up what he hoped read as sincere remorse with his tired eyes. The steel blue orbs staring back fixed him with a glare that spoke of punishment, but luckily for poor Dr. Zimmerman they also held compassion. With just one look, she managed to convey her sympathy for his weary state as well as admonish his unprofessional behavior. Message obviously received, Magnus gave him a curt little nod and turned back towards the group to continue the meeting. Will let out a long, slow breath once it was clear she wasn't going to launch into a lecture. Kate, Henry, and Biggie were all momentarily taken aback by this unexpected show of mercy and exchanged suspicious looks. Will noticed this and hoped to whatever gods were out there they would find something else to obsess about for the rest of the day. Magnus cleared her throat and all quickly returned their attention to the business at hand.

As the meeting wore on, Will's mind began to wander. He thought about the previous night's little run in as Magnus continued to rattle off the team's assignments for the week. He remembered looking down into her eyes and the brief flash of fear he saw there. Maybe it wasn't much to go on, but something just didn't feel right. It took a lot to rattle Helen Magnus. Granted, she hadn't really been herself since Carentan so he should probably be grateful for any new sign of life. He hated that she was still blaming herself, but thanked God that she was at least acting more like herself again. He even saw her break a little smile when the Big Guy smacked Henry over the head when he made a slightly inappropriate comment about one of the new residents having a crush on Kate. If it weren't for the faintest violet beneath her eyes, not even Will would have guessed that she hadn't been sleeping, at least not any less than usual. His intuition, however, wouldn't shut up that something was wrong.

After the meeting was over, Will hung back to talk to Magnus. It took a minute for her to realize he was still in the room as she gathered her files from the coffee table and walked to over to her desk. She didn't hear him walking across the room and was slightly startled to find him standing across from her.

"Oh Will." she said steadying her breath.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you…again." he said apologetically.

"It's quite alright. I guess I have been a little distracted as of late."

"I'd say that's an understatement." he countered.

She paused for a second noticing that he was studying her with a worried look on his face.

"Was there something you needed?"

"I …uh, just wanted to apologize for being late this morning and to thank you for taking pity on me. You didn't have to do that."

When she didn't say anything right away, Will started to question the wisdom in bringing up the subject; maybe he should have just left well enough alone.

"I saw no reason to make a fuss when there were more pressing matters to focus on. You know well enough how I feel about promptness." She said a little dismissively.

"Besides, your discretion did save me from a day of constant hovering by my dear old friend." She cracked a little smile at that.

Will relaxed a little when it was clear she wasn't angry.

"Big Guy that bad, huh?"

"Oh, you have no idea." Helen let out an exasperated sigh.

"I guess that sort of makes me your hero, then doesn't it?" He teased her.

Magnus gaped at him somewhat incredulously, but quickly caught onto his game. A suggestive smile spread across her face and Will knew he was in trouble. He watched silently as she walked slowly around the desk, trailing two fingers across the polished wood as she moved. She stopped in front of the desk just inches away from Will.

"You know what would really make you my hero?" She crooned.

Will gulped. He tried desperately to stop the blush creeping to his cheeks as his mind played back the inappropriate images he'd conjured earlier that morning. He knew she was only playing with him and he wasn't going to let her win that easily.

"Why don't you enlighten me?" He said as he took a step forward causing her to back up into the desk.

Without missing a beat, she placed one hand against his chest and held the back of his neck with the other as she leaned in, bringing her mouth close to his ear. He felt her hot breath as she whispered. "Getting all your paperwork turned in by five o' clock."

She let go of him and flashed him a victorious smile as he took a step back. He let out the giant breath he'd been holding and watched her suppress a giggle.

"Oh, you see, that is so not fair." He whined.

"Poor thing." She replied with a mock pout on her lips.

Will sat at his desk laboring over stacks of paperwork for the rest of the morning. Even though, it was admittedly his most despised task, updating files and writing up reports seemed almost palatable today. _Almost_ being the key word. It had been a long time since he and Magnus had gone for a round of flirtatious verbal sparring and it felt ridiculously good to experience it again. She'd been so cold the last couple weeks and he hadn't realized just how much it was affecting his demeanor as well.

A growling in his stomach snapped Will back to reality. He hadn't realized it was already past noon. With that in mind, he started clearing up the loose files on the desk so he could go get some lunch. Just then he noticed the small colorful note sticking to his computer screen. It simply read 'Call Abby'. He knew he shouldn't put it off any longer, so he decided he'd head into the city for lunch today and give her a call then.

Will had been going a little stir crazy lately. He told himself that a change of scenery, even for just an hour, would probably do him some good. As much as that was true, it also had something to do with the fact that lately he just didn't feel very comfortable talking to Abby at the Sanctuary. He didn't want her dropping by and he didn't even like speaking with her on the phone unless he was absolutely sure no one else was around. Things were still very awkward between them and he didn't need everyone noticing. If Kate saw the two of them she'd never leave him be until she dragged absolutely every last detail out of him and he was so not ready to deal with that. Besides, Will was also the only member of the team that was currently in a steady romantic relationship and he didn't want to shove it in anyone's face, or at least that's what he told himself. Neither Magnus nor Henry had seemed very happy when he and Abby had walked in on their quiet dinner half naked a couple months ago. Thinking back, it had been a really insensitive move, especially considering Henry's girlfriend Erica had just turned down his proposal. Ever since then, Will had taken care to avoid meeting Abby directly at the Sanctuary and usually called her when he was out and about alone.

Henry was walking beside Magnus with his computer tablet in hand chatting excitedly about his new weapons developments as Will approached them in the foyer.

"On your way out, Will?" asked Magnus.

"Yeah. I figured I'd go out for lunch today and run a few errands while I was at it."

"Alright then. I'll see you later."

Henry, fully immersed in his own world at the moment, didn't fully register Will's comment until he all of the sudden remembered something. "Hey Will…" he began to call out just as Will opened the front door and nearly collided with the delivery man preparing to knock.

"Whoa! Sorry man. I wasn't expecting anyone to be there."

"No worries sir. I've got a delivery here for a Dr. Helen Magnus." The man read the name off of an electronic tablet.

Just as Will motioned for the young man to come inside, Helen walked up beside him. The delivery man's jaw dropped a little in surprise as he looked her up and down. Will bit down on the inside of his cheek a little to keep from laughing. This happened more often than anyone would know. Helen seemed oblivious to the effect she was having on the drooling delivery man as she introduced herself.

"I am Helen Magnus." She offered with a polite smile.

Will loudly cleared his throat to alert the man that he was staring. That seemed to snap him out of it. Professional façade back in place, Mitch, according to his name tag, leant down to pick up his parcel which was still on the front step just out of Will's line of sight. As he stepped through the door he extended forth a large bouquet of bright orange tiger lillies in a crystal vase. Will took the flowers so Magnus could sign for her delivery. She thanked the young man as she handed the tablet back to him. He tipped the brim of his cap and gave her a wink before walking back out towards his truck. Both Will and Henry smiled at each other knowingly and tried not to laugh. Will handed Helen her flowers and decided to casually hover just a moment longer.

"So who are the flowers from?" Henry blurted out before Will could.

"I don't know. There's a card here."

Helen opened the small white envelope attached to the bouquet to reveal a bright red card. Her brow furrowed as she stood there silently staring at the note.

"So?" Will broke the silence.

"It doesn't say actually. The only thing written here is **Thank You**." She explained a little confused.

Will didn't know why, but this anonymous gift made him very nervous. Little did he know, Magnus was feeling quite the same.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Thank You" She repeated the words aloud hoping the answer might suddenly come to her.

Helen turned the small card over in her hand again and again, her fingers sliding across the edges of the bright red paper. Had the person at least signed the note with an initial or some sort of symbol, she might have had a clue as to their identity. Henry managed to pull up the records from the company the delivery man worked for, but the purchase was made with cash and was therefore untraceable. Whoever this person was, they were apparently determined to remain anonymous.

The unexpected gift now rested atop a small pedestal table in front of the corner bookcase in Helen's office. She admired the way the bold color brought new life to the dark corner, the way it so starkly contrasted with the rich walnut and dark cherry leather of the neighboring armchairs. She carefully brushed the tip of her index finger along one of the fresh, silky petals. The lily had always been one of Helen's favorite flowers, simple and elegant yet capable of so much diversity. Nowadays the shops could paint the flowers any color you might imagine, but to Helen all that cosmetic fakery seemed lackluster compared to the astonishing beauty nature created all on its own. She closed her eyes as she inclined her head toward the bouquet, slowly breathing in its fresh scent.

As she walked back toward her desk, still fiddling with the note card, Helen wondered if there was any particular reason behind the choice of flower. Lilies traditionally symbolized beauty, elegance and sweetness. Tiger lilies could suggest any number of variations on that theme. Maybe her mysterious correspondent was making some sort of comment on her personality. It was also possible that the flowers were not meant to symbolize anything other than the sender's wish to express his or her gratitude. Perhaps, she was just over-thinking the whole situation.

The possibilities continued to swim around in her head as Helen sat at her desk, the sweet smell of the speckled flowers still filling her senses. It wasn't uncommon to receive thank you notes from grateful patients and the like, but that certainly did not help narrow down the options. In the past two months alone, she had delivered a baby in the middle of a traffic jam; filled in for a colleague who was supposed to speak at a Human Genetics Research conference in Chicago; saved countless young abnormals from enslavement, for lack of a better word, by a major crime ring; stopped a deadly pathogen from spreading amongst a local population of Abarimonsi; and of course there was that whole collapsing the expanding, invisible time dilation field around Carentan, thus saving the planet from being torn apart thing. She wasn't holding her breath for a thank you on that last one. Of course, there was also Nikola's revamping, but she quickly dismissed that idea. Flowers were far too cliché for the likes of Nikola Tesla and his massive ego. Her mind briefly flashed to Druitt. _'No, these are definitely not from John'_ she thought to herself. John favored the classics, such as roses, because they sent a very clear message. It wasn't his style to be so cryptic and he certainly wasn't shy when he wanted to say something. Besides, she couldn't think of a single reason why he'd be thanking her for anything.

At five o' clock sharp, a smiling Will came strolling into Magnus's office with a large bundle of files in his arms. He placed the tall stack of finished paperwork on the edge of Helen's desk and took a step back to gauge her reaction. Her eyes grew wide as she surveyed the rare sight before her.

"Could you not look so shocked?" Will said with just a hint of hurt in his voice. "I am your hero, after all."

Magnus looked up at Will who was now puffing out his chest triumphantly. She gave him a smirk and rolled her eyes.

"It is truly fascinating the lengths men will go to have their egos stroked."

Will's chest suddenly deflated and he stuck out his bottom lip very nearly achieving his goal of emulating a hurt puppy dog. The corners of Helen's mouth began to twitch as she tried to hold back a smile. Magnus couldn't stop herself from thinking about how ridiculously cute he was sometimes and shook her head in resignation.

"But…if it gets you to turn in your reports on time, I guess I'll have to call you my hero more often."

Will raised his eyebrows at her disbelievingly. "That's real kind of you Magnus, but I won't hold my breath."

"Well that's a relief. It would be a shame to lose you to something as easily preventable as oxygen deprivation." She countered with a devilish grin.

All he could do was smile and concede gracefully; knowing he'd lost yet another sparring match with Magnus. Will was about to take his leave when he noticed that her attention had turned to the crystal vase holding her mysterious gift. Helen's brow furrowed as she studied the flowers.

"So…did you ever figure out who sent them?"

Will watched her movements closely and noticed her uncomfortable stance. He could tell she was trying to relax under his glare. Her body was in a state of alert and she was fidgeting with a small, red note card unconsciously.

"I'm afraid not. He or she was apparently intent on remaining nameless."

She noticed then that she was still playing with the card and set it down immediately. Helen smiled weakly and let out a short breath of resignation. On the one hand she felt it was silly to be so disquieted by a simple bouquet of flowers, but there was this nagging thought at the back of her mind that told her it was something more. The fact that Will was staring at her didn't help ease her discomfort. She knew he could probably see right through her, but not a word fell from his lips to indicate he knew.

Helen cleared her throat and stood to reach for a file folder from the sizeable stack before her.

"Well…I should probably get started on these. Thank you, Will."

"Yeah. No problem." He seemed to take the hint and gave her one last look before turning to leave.

* * *

><p>The big guy turned to the stove when he heard the kettle start to whistle. Making tea for Helen was a ritual he performed nearly every night and with an expert hand, he might add. It was his not so subtle way of checking up on her before he retired in the evenings. He usually ended up telling her to get some rest then she'd reply that she was fine and would rest when she needed to. Helen knew he worried about her and always rewarded her dear friend with a thankful smile before they parted ways for the night. It was their little ritual and Helen cherished it more than he'd ever know.<p>

It was already midnight as Big Guy made his way down the hall to the library where she was still hard at work, completely immersed in her latest research. It had been a particularly long day and thankfully Henry and Will were taking care of the late night feedings. After he checked up on Magnus, he planned to head straight to his quarters and pass out for the night. When he rounded the next corner to enter the vast library, he saw she was now slumped over the table and her head snapping back and forth as she tried to stay awake. He walked over to her seemingly unnoticed and placed the tea cup next to her hand. Without missing a beat Helen reached out for the cup, not the least bit surprised by the presence of her manservant.

"Thank you, old friend." She muttered as she clutched her tea cup and reverently breathed in its aroma.

"You're exhausted. You should rest."

"I know." She said, surprising him.

This was usually the point in the conversation where the denial would begin. Just as he was about to open his mouth to speak, she cut him off.

"I promise." She assured him. "As soon as I finish my tea, it's off to bed I go." She met his eyes and smiled.

He grunted in disbelief. It was uncharacteristic of her to be so cooperative when it came to her own well being. He knew she was probably just telling him what he wanted to hear.

"Scout's honor." She said giving him a mock salute.

"Uh huh." He grumbled as he headed for the exit.

Feeling a little worse for wear himself, the big guy had no more energy to argue with her and decided it was best to let it be.

Magnus smiled sleepily and closed the large, leather-bound book she had been reading and set it off to the side. At least she wouldn't spill tea all over the book if she fell asleep at the table. She rarely ever got more than four hours of restful sleep a night but she was used to it. Lately, however, she seemed to be on sensory overload and her batteries were running down fast. Even though she had an amazing team at her disposal and a network of very capable people all around the globe to share her burdens with, her job just seemed to get more and more complicated with each passing day and it was taking its toll. She needed a vacation badly but she most definitely did not have the time to take one, not with all these new uncertainties looming overhead. Helen was determined to protect her life's work as well as her family and if that meant getting a few extra hours of sleep a night, she supposed she was willing to make that sacrifice…but she didn't have to be happy about it.

When Helen opened the door to her bedroom all she could think about was crawling underneath her covers and slipping into peaceful oblivion. The room was black except for the soft glow of moonlight shining outside the window. Without even bothering to turn on a lamp, she slipped out of her heels and started to undress in the dark. Helen felt so tired that she was practically a shell running on autopilot. She didn't notice another presence in the room as she started to undo the zipper of her charcoal gray dress.

Across the room, eyes drank in the sight of creamy white skin slowly emerging from its cocoon of darkness inch by inch; each curve smooth and exquisite. The woman then retreated further into the darkness as she sought out a large chest of drawers. Dark locks shimmered in the soft moonlight as she flipped them over the pale blue fabric of her nightgown. Even as tired as she was, her movements looked inexplicably graceful as she strode toward the bed. Helen pulled back the covers of her bed, closing her eyes as she slipped beneath the silky material and let her tired body sink into the depths of the soft mattress. She sighed in absolute contentment as she breathed in the fresh scent of the cool pillow case cradling her cheek. The eyes watched silently as she drifted into slumber.

i Just a small disclaimer: I did not make up the creature called the Abarimon. I do not remember the name of the site where I found its description, sorry. The site defines an Abarimon as a mythological humanoid creature with backwards feet, if memory serves.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

If he hadn't known better, Will could have sworn that he must have pissed off some higher power. From its very inception, the day had been nothing but one catastrophe after another. Rationally, he knew it was nothing more than life's sick little sense of irony. He had, after all, experienced countless days just as hectic as this one while working for the Sanctuary. Regardless, Will's tired mind continued cataloguing the possibilities as he sat in the back of the white transport vehicle as it raced towards the next disaster on their checklist. Maybe it was karma coming back to bite him on the ass for the way Kate found him this morning. As utterly satisfying as it had been to watch her shriek in horror at his nakedness and run screaming down the hall, he wasn't sure it was really worth the exhaustion that now plagued his every limb.

The entire Sanctuary crew was beyond worn out from a day battling a never-ending string of crises, and now here they were grudgingly dashing off into the fray yet again with little to no intel. The tip they received had been vague to say the least. All they really knew was that the FBI were en route to seize a mother-load of stolen goods from an old warehouse, completely clueless of the danger awaiting them in the form of live cargo. The team was going to have to work incredibly fast to transport any abnormals out of the building before the authorities arrived. Unfortunately for them, their source said nothing about what types of creatures they may find or how many there might be. Apparently, this particular smuggling ring wasn't too particular about the merchandise they moved as long as there was profit to be made. That was not a very comforting thought.

The warehouse was located in the heart of an old, abandoned industrial district on the outskirts of Old City. Most of the buildings that were still intact were so unsafe even the drug dealers wouldn't go near them. When the truck pulled up to the building, dusk was just settling in, the street lamps already glowing to light each corner of the seedy looking compound. The Big Guy stayed behind with the transport vehicle, monitoring the police scanners as Magnus, Will, Henry, and Kate made their way into the compound armed with a wide variety of tranquilizers. Will and Magnus took the South entrance and Henry and Kate, the North. Once inside, they would systematically sweep through the compound and meet up in the middle.

Will stood back as Magnus smashed an old, rusty padlock with a large, metal pry bar. With a sigh, he leaned back against the cold, metal siding of the building and let it take on the weight of his fatigued body. He watched intently as Helen went about unlatching the various bolts securing the large steel door.

His eyes started roaming the planes of her body of their own volition. Maybe it was just his overly observant mind, but he couldn't help notice how her black jeans hugged each of her curves with absolute perfection. She wore lace-up, leather boots that stopped just below the knee and a wonderfully form-fitting black top lay beneath her sleek motorcycle jacket. Her dark chocolate curls were swept back in a simple ponytail, exposing the supple flesh of her neck to the chilled night air. A secret little thrill crept up inside Will whenever he got to see Helen wear anything outside the usual business attire and lab coats, not that he didn't enjoy the heels and perfectly fitted skirts. There was just something about her when she got into mission mode, an inner vibrancy that seemed to emanate through her entire being and radiate off of her like a beacon. It wasn't just the fact that she was currently being magnificently backlit by a street lamp. She would get this sparkle in her eyes that made her seem so young and vivacious, not to mention incredibly sexy.

'_Whoa there, Zimmerman. Calm down.'_

Will had never been blind to Helen's beauty, but thinking about her body brought up feelings that threatened to compromise his professional integrity. Magnus trusted him, depended on him to be at the top of his game and here he was thinking about how sexy she looked in those wonderful, skin-tight jeans. She was his mentor for Christ's sake and his closest friend! Her friendship meant more to him than anything. The last thing he wanted was for her to think that she couldn't trust him anymore.

Helen had just finished with the last rusty latch when she looked over to her tired young protégé leaning into the wall. She felt a pang of remorse at the sight of his weary form. He was staring at her with an expression that Helen couldn't quite place. His face was thoughtful as if contemplating some great dilemma but there was something else in his eyes that confused her, something suspiciously akin to desire. Helen was sure she must be seeing things. She was suddenly feeling rather nervous under his gaze and her breath caught in her throat momentarily as she opened her mouth to speak. Will heard a little gasp escape from Helen's lips and suddenly became aware that she was looking right at him. He abruptly snapped out of his trance and pushed himself back from the wall in a panic. He tried to fight the blush creeping up to his cheeks as he hurriedly walked towards the door to join her. Helen didn't say a word as she stepped carefully over the threshold and waited for Will to fall in step behind her. He took a deep breath to steady his nerves before following her into the dark. The sound of their boots meeting concrete echoed softly throughout the large expanse of the warehouse.

Will kept his stunner poised to shoot as he crept softly behind Magnus, taking in as many details as possible as she scanned the area with the beam of her flashlight. Despite its outwardly haggard appearance, the warehouse was in surprisingly good shape. At the very least, they wouldn't have to worry about any rickety beams crashing down on them. The smell, on the other hand, could have been better. Henry had thankfully managed to get a few emergency lights up and running, but the soft glow they produced did little to stave off the blackness. Enormous shadows were cast by the tall, looming shelves arranged in long, endless columns.

Boxes and crates were packed densely into the large, metal shelving units, with hardly a bald spot to be seen. In less than twenty minutes, the place was going to be swarming with federal officers. It was going to be impossible to properly search every container in that amount of time and on such short notice they had no one to call for back up. Henry's electronic thermal sensors were helpful, but no guarantee when it came to abnormal physiology. There were literally thousands of abnormal species with no detectable heat signature. The best they could do was search containers for any obvious signs of live transport.

Kate and Henry managed to uncover a whopping two crates containing abnormal creatures. One held a rare species of poisonous millipede and the other an unidentified, and rather hormonal, rabbit-like creature. Neither Helen nor Will had found any signs of life on their side of the complex. With only ten minutes left on the clock and countless rows left to search, Helen's patience was wearing thin.

"Bloody hell!" Magnus swore to no one in particular as she pried open the lid of another crate.

"Nothing in this one either." Will announced with a rather loud sigh.

Helen replaced the lid and strode over to her protégé crouched next to a fairly large wooden crate.

"I think we need to split up." She suddenly blurted out.

Will's eyes grew wide and his breath hitched momentarily.

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Magnus? We have no idea what kind of abnormals these people were trafficking."

"That's precisely why we need to move more quickly, Will. I can't risk leaving something behind that could potentially hurt someone or get loose and wreak havoc on the outside world."

Will sighed in resignation. There was no point in arguing with Magnus while she was in mission mode. Besides, it's not exactly as if he could refute her logic.

"Point taken. Just…be careful, alright?"

Helen gave him a quick nod of reassurance.

"I won't be far, just the next row over. Call out if you find anything."

Will nodded his understanding but never took his eyes off her as she disappeared around the corner into the next row of shelves.

She was still very close in proximity, but he didn't feel comfortable not having her in his line of sight. At least when they stuck together they could have each other's back, be ready with stunners if anything dangerous were to jump out at them. He didn't like to think about Magnus potentially getting hurt. As good as it felt to play the hero occasionally; Will knew the more likely scenario involved Helen coming to _his_ rescue. Will didn't have the best luck when it came to angry creatures and now that Magnus wasn't at his side, he was pretty sure his chances of getting jumped by some nasty beast had just increased exponentially. Sure, when she heard his screams she'd come rushing in guns blazing, but with his luck, he'd most likely be rendered unconscious before she could even utter the words 'Hold it right there you cheeky bastard'.

Not even a full minute had passed since they'd parted ways when Will heard Helen call to him from the next row over.

"Will, I need your help."

She didn't sound distressed, but Will ran anyway.

He found her at the foot of an enormous crate, too large to fit on the shelves. It had to be at least seven feet tall and five or six feet deep. Most importantly, there were dozens of nickel-sized air holes near the top of the crate. Together, they were able to pry open the front panel of the crate with relative ease. What they found inside left them both a little bewildered to say the least.

"Dear God. It's a bloody…"

"Gargoyle." Will finished.

For a long moment the two just stared, mouths gaping open at the sight of the statue packed loosely in straw. The carving was unlike anything Helen had ever seen before. It stood at about six and a half feet tall and was human looking except it had beastly limbs complete with sharp talons and a large pair of bat-like wings. Curved horns protruded from a defined brow bone cradling the sides of its head in a bizarre sort of crown. Its body was a celebration of the male form if she'd ever seen one. In fact, she would even go so far as to say it was reminiscent of Michelangelo's David, if it had been half monster. She was at a loss for what type of stone it was carved from. The color was dark like granite but more of a bluish hue and the surface appeared smooth like marble. The eyes shone like gemstones, sapphires perhaps or maybe emeralds, it was hard to tell.

"I've never seen anything quite like this." Magnus said as she took a step closer to inspect the statue.

"Yeah, it's definitely something." Will furrowed his brow as he inspected the statue.

Something didn't feel right. Why were there air holes in a crate containing a stone Gargoyle?

"It's really quite magnificent." She marveled.

Helen took another step closer and reached out to touch the sculpture. When her hand brushed the smooth surface she felt the faintest pulsing beneath her fingertips like there was some sort of energy coursing through the stone. Out of the corner of her eye she could have sworn she saw one of the statue's talons twitch. Helen moved to take her hand away from the stone, but let out a startled cry when her wrist was suddenly seized by the Gargoyle's clawed hand. The stone made cracking noises as the creature's limbs rapidly came to life once again.

"Magnus!" Will screamed in horror as he watched the stone beast latch its claws onto Magnus.

Magnus struggled against its pull only to have her other wrist painfully seized as well.

"Please, we won't hurt you." She pleaded, hoping it would understand.

Will quickly threw down his pry bar and lunged for the stunner lying on the floor near his feet.

The popping and cracking noises continued as the Gargoyle's neck loosened. Helen could feel the hard stone clamped around her wrists softening into flesh. The creature brought his face to within in inches of hers and studied her with its deep shimmering eyes that looked like pools of black in the shadow of the crate. A demonic-like purring noise rumbled up from the depths of its throat as the corners of its mouth twisted up into a grotesque sort of smile, revealing a gleaming set of fangs.

Will really wished the creature would step out of the crate because with the way it was holding onto Magnus, he couldn't get a decent shot off at it without stunning Magnus in the process. Will quickly pressed the button on his headset and yelled for Henry and Kate.

Helen shuddered as the gargoyle looked her up and down appreciatively. She didn't want to injure the creature if possible, but had a feeling convincing it to come willingly would not be an easy task.

"We only wish to help you. We mean you no harm…" She started, trying to keep her voice soft and soothing.

The creature suddenly let go of her wrists and clamped on to her upper arms to pull her flush against his body. Magnus kicked out her leg and nailed the Gargoyle in the shin hard enough to fracture bone. It let out a deep, unearthly scream as it threw Helen out of the crate and sent her crashing into the shelving unit behind her.

Will fired his stunner at the beast as it emerged from its wooden prison. The gargoyle let out an angry snarl as the electricity coursed through its body. Magnus quickly grabbed the tranq gun strapped to her thigh and stumbled to her feet. Before she could get off a single shot the creature lashed out, smacking the weapon right out of her hands and sent it skittering across the floor. The gargoyle moved to grab her again but Will hit it with another jolt from his stunner before it could reach her. The creature locked its evil eyes on the psychologist and let out a feral growl before it started to advance. Will bolted down the aisle with the furious creature right on his heels. The last thing he remembered before the world went black was looking up to see the Gargoyle in the air, spreading its enormous wings right above his head.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Light seeped in slowly under eyelids heavy and sore. Will groaned and raised an arm to shield himself from the brightness that threatened to burn out his corneas. Images were blurry, blending together in a haze of blue and white, but the noxious scent of rubbing alcohol and the steady cadence of an EKG machine quickly put an end to any lingering doubts about his current location. He was in the infirmary, again…_'fantastic'._ To top it off, he didn't even remember how he'd gotten there in the first place.

Will's skull was throbbing and he closed his eyes in an attempt to stave off the accompanying wave of nausea. An uneasy feeling started to creep up on him. It felt like he was forgetting something important, but what? God, even his thoughts were foggy. He barely registered the sound of a familiar voice infiltrating the chasm of his murky mind until a warm hand touched his. All of a sudden the memories came flooding back.

"Oh my God! Magnus!" The cracking of his own voice surprised him slightly. His throat was sore from dehydration.

Will sprung up from the bed, swinging his legs over the side. He was stopped mid-journey, however, when the world's largest ice cream headache suddenly plowed into him like a Mack truck. He bellowed in pain, clutching the sides of his head as he started to pitch forward on the edge of the gurney.

"Will!" Helen's warm hands seized his shoulders to keep him from falling as he swayed.

"Mag - nus?" He sputtered out between breaths.

"It's alright, Will." She soothed. "Take it easy. You've got quite the nasty bump on your head."

Will continued to hold his head and hissed in pain as exploring fingers came into contact with the offending goose egg.

"Yeah, I can tell." He grated out sardonically.

Helen's right hand let go of Will's shoulder and began rubbing gentle circles across his back as he attempted to calm down his breathing. After minute or two he seemed to find his equilibrium again and she lifted his chin to shine a pen light into his eyes.

"Pupils are equal and reactive." She announced.

"Great." He grumbled as Helen's deft fingers continued to poke and prod him. "So how long was I out this time?"

"It's been a little over an hour. I was starting to become quite worried."

"Oh come on, I've been clinically dead before, this is nothing." He said nonchalantly, trying to lighten the mood. Of course, this failed miserably and Magnus shot him a withering glare as she slapped an ice pack into his hands.

"Alright, want to tell me what happened?" Will sighed heavily, dreading hearing the inevitably embarrassing explanation behind his recent trip to la la land. Magnus recognized the expression on his face and barely managed to suppress a smirk.

"Apparently, our new friend felt you were in dire need of a flying lesson."

Will cringed at her words. He was so adorable when he was embarrassed.

"How considerate of him."

"I managed to shoot it with a tranquilizer dart just as it was starting to take off with you in his claws but..."

"But…?"

"Well, it took a moment for the drugs to take full effect and he managed to lift you up at least a good ten feet or so before… dropping you."

This time it was Magnus who winced at her own words. She suddenly found the floor very interesting when he tried to meet her gaze. Will smiled at the sheepish gesture.

"Oh, so it's your fault the giant beast dropped me on my head." Magnus's head snapped back up.

"Would you have preferred I just let it fly off with you?" She blurted out defensively.

"No. I get it, Magnus. You just wanted to strip me of my hero title because you wanted it for yourself." He said with mock hurt.

She slapped him playfully across his arm and heaved an exasperated sigh. Will chuckled at this, throbbing head be damned. He knew it was mean, but couldn't help but relish the opportunity to tease her. She was so adorable when she was angry. Scratch that, she was adorable when she was a certain _type_ of angry. You really did not want to be on the receiving end of her rage…ever. Helen Magnus definitely had a way about her, a way that could reduce even the strongest of men into quivering piles of goo.

"Hey, there's no need to get violent Magnus. If you wanted it, you only had to ask. I would have shared." His smile grew even wider as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"You know, Dr. Zimmerman, I should like to point out that most intelligent men in your position would recognize the danger in antagonizing a woman in possession of such a large assortment of sharp implements."

He instantly turned on the puppy dog eyes and shot her an incredulous 'who me?' look. Helen became even more visibly irritated as she tried to suppress her smile. Will couldn't help but notice how her chest heaved in the most attractive way when she was mad at him. She huffed out a breath as she opened her mouth, about to hit him with another witty retort, he was sure, but he cut her off before she could even start.

"Alright, point taken." Will put up his hands in surrender and sobered his expression.

He was too tired to continue this repartee in any sort of intelligent manner anyway. He didn't even have enough energy to chastise himself for staring at Magnus's chest.

"Please, continue."

Helen let out a deep sigh and shook her head slightly willing herself back into doctor mode. She'd make sure to get back at him later. Now was no time to let him get a rise out of her. _'Damn the cheeky bugger and his adorable face!'_

"Henry and Kate arrived just as the abnormal proceeded to pass out on the floor. The two of them restrained the creature and gave it another dose of tranquilizers as I went to check on you."

"You weren't able to finish the search." He supplied knowingly.

"No. You needed immediate medical attention. Down one team member, there was no way we'd have made it out in time. I just hope to God that what we found was all there was to find."

Will, forgetting momentarily about his injury, sullenly nodded his head in agreement only to be greeted by a strong wave of pain. He started to pitch forward again and grabbed onto Helen's shoulders to steady himself. There was that nauseous feeling again. '_Ok, no more sudden head movements.'_ He would never be able to live down the shame of barfing all over his boss.

"Okay, you need to lie back down. I will not have you collapsing on the floor and hitting your head all over again."

Will tried to protest that he was fine but Magnus would not be swayed. Still feeling a little off-balance he squeezed his eyes shut and kept his grip tight on Helen's shoulders as she helped him lay back on the gurney. He let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding when the soft pillow gently took on the weight of his head. Anymore protests died on his lips as he let his body melt into the mattress beneath him. He would never admit it to Magnus, but it was quite a relief not to have to support his own frame at the moment. Without realizing it, a soft moan escaped his lips.

"Um, Will?" He opened his eyes to see her slightly amused face hovering over him.

Will hadn't realized that he was still holding onto Magnus until he felt her hands grip his wrists. "Oh. Uh, sorry about that."

As he released his hands from around her shoulders, Will's gaze flicked over her wrists. He could just make out the very edges of the deep purple blotches hiding beneath the cuffs of her lab coat as she pulled her hands away.

"Magnus, are you okay?" A look of confusion crossed her face for a moment as he spoke. "I mean, that Gargoyle thing did totally manhandle you. He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"I'm perfectly fine, Will." She assured him. "Nothing a little aspirin and an ice pack won't cure."

Will continued to study her as she calmly walked over to the head of his gurney and raised it up into a sitting position.

"Are you sure? I mean, those look like some nasty bruises on your wrists. Maybe you should have them x-rayed."

"I am a doctor, Will. Trust me, I'd know if they were fractured." She said in that no-nonsense tone that let Will know the issue was not open for further discussion.

An awkward silence enveloped the room as Helen looked over Will's chart and recorded his most recent vitals. Will bit the bullet and cleared his throat attempting to break the ice again.

"So, uh…how's the abnormal?" he stammered out rather lamely.

This seemed to dissipate the tension considerably and Helen's stance loosened a bit as she met his gaze.

"Ah, well, the Gargoyle, for lack of a better term, is currently resting comfortably in his new, high-security habitat in the SHU."

This news seemed to visibly relax the psychologist.

"Have you ever come across anything similar before?" Will asked curiously.

"Actually, his features are similar to that of quite a few different species of abnormal, but there are very unique properties to his physiology that I have never come across before. It really is an amazing creature, especially his ability to harden the texture of his skin during periods of hibernation. My theory is that the creature's outer layer of skin becomes petrified and acts as a cocoon keeping the body safe from predators while it hibernates in an open environment."

Will smiled inwardly at the lively expression in her wide, blue eyes. He loved to watch her explain one of her new discoveries almost as much as he loved to watch her out in the field on a mission.

"It seems like the perfect survival mechanism to blend in amongst the modern world." He added.

"Indeed, but how this trait evolved in nature is a somewhat perplexing."

Will's brow furrowed at her observation. He wasn't sure he liked the sound of that.

"Are you suggesting that someone may have engineered this creature? Like the Cabal?"

"It's certainly possible, but I don't know enough about the creature yet to arrive at any conclusions. I'm not even sure what sort of living conditions it is going to require in its habitat."

"Well, you could always just stick him out on a ledge somewhere by the North tower. He'd fit right in with the architecture, no one would be the wiser."

This earned a genuine smile from Magnus and a small laugh.

"Hmm. Tempting as that sounds, I shudder to think what kind of mischief it would get itself into every time it came out of hibernation."

"Yeah, I can just see it now. Baby snatched from carriage by Gargoyle, story at eleven."

Will and Helen exchanged tired, but genuine smiles with one another. Concussion or no concussion, Will felt oddly at peace in the light of her smile. As far as he was concerned, a late-night talk with Magnus could cure just about anything.


	7. Chapter 7

**Warning: **Just in case you have not read the new warning in the revised Chapter 1, I would just like to reiterate that this story is rated M for a reason. Some chapters may seem relatively tame, but do not expect all chapters to be the same. This is a horror story and I will most assuredly be heading into darker territory as the plot progresses. Anything could happen, so please do not complain if your sensibilities are offended in anyway. Thank you.**  
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**A/N:** So here it is, the long awaited Chapter 7! It was actually supposed to be much longer, but I couldn't for the life of me get the transition to work the way I wanted it to, so I kind of had to rethink what will be happening next. In case you missed it, chapters 1-6 were recently revised. If you read the original chapters it is not absolutely necessary to read the revised versions, the changes were mostly small and do not change the plot in any way. As with all my previous chapters, this work is unbetaed. I always proof read but inevitably something small always slips through the cracks. So, just so you know all mistakes are my own.

I am very excited to have some time to continue this story again. I will try my best to post updates either weekly or bi-weekly, but I can't make that a promise. The time I have to work on it really hinges on my work schedule which changes slightly from week to week. As always, I deeply appreciate any feedback you are willing to give me, especially constructive criticism. Please review and let me know how you like the new turns the story is starting to take!

Chapter 7

Helen slumped back into the soft leather of her chair, finding it increasingly difficult to resist the pull of sleep as the gentle hum of the computer fan continued to whir a tempting lullaby. Long was hardly a sufficient adjective to describe the past twenty-four hours of her life. Yet here she was, still awake in her office at three o' clock in the morning, dressed only in black pajamas and her favorite, royal blue kimono, trying desperately to focus on the data displayed before her. Willing heavy eyes away from the bright monitors, she stared longingly at the cup of tea on the desk growing cold and tepid. It was hardly worth drinking now, even if she could muster enough energy to reach for it. Perhaps she'd brew some more when she next checked in on her mildly concussed protégé.

Magnus felt awful forcing Will to pull an all-nighter, especially since the poor man had looked like he needed sleep more than anything in the world. It certainly wasn't much of a consolation that she'd promised him a full day off from work to rest. He insisted his skull had taken harder knocks before but quickly abandoned his platform, knowing full well that to argue with Magnus over a medical matter would be nothing less than an exercise in futility. She might have considered letting it slide, if it hadn't been for the fact that he'd lost consciousness. Will certainly didn't need to be reminded yet again that compounding head injuries can cause permanent damage over time. It was a sore point with Will, his bad habit of coming home from missions in need of a CT scan. If he could just stay awake for a good ten hours, the swelling would surely dissipate enough to properly assess his condition and then he could spend the entire day basking in sweet nothingness for all she cared. Helen just needed to know that he'd be waking up before she let him drift off into dreamland. She was tired of losing the people she cared about and she'd be damned if he was going to be next.

Lost in her thoughts, Helen started slightly when the sudden sound of creaking wood captured her attention. She swiveled around in her computer chair to find the door on the south side of her office gently inching back and forth as if caught in a breeze. From her seat, she attempted to peer into the hall, but saw nothing. She was gripping the armrests tightly as she craned her body forward, trying to get a better look. It was then that the slight movement of the door stopped abruptly mid swing and the room went quiet. A faint chill began to creep into the air causing Magnus to hug her silky robe tighter around her body. She dismissed the notion that anyone else was outside her office and decided that someone simply must have left a window partially open somewhere down the hall. Determined to ignore the chill as well as her growing fatigue, she turned her attention back to the test results she'd been trying in vain to study for the past hour. As fascinating as Helen found their new guest, at the moment it was all but impossible to concentrate on anything except the need for a stiff drink and a warm bed. Frustrated, she leant forward across the desktop and rested her chin in the palm of her hand, using the sturdy piece of furniture to keep her head up.

Magnus knew she was fighting a losing battle. She was too sluggish to accomplish anything in her current state and that damned feeling of paranoia was starting to creep up on her again so she made a command decision that, early or not, it was time to go check on her injured friend. She closed all the open files on her monitor and proceeded to put the computer to sleep. As the screen went black she suddenly saw the reflection of a dark figure standing behind her. Before she could even think to move a muscle, a strong hand clamped down over her mouth silencing her scream and slamming the back of her head against the chair. The force of the grip against her body was cold and iron clad. There was no escape as an unseen face leaned in close to nuzzle her hair. She could feel the figure's icy breath prickling her flesh as it softly whispered her name in a deep, distorted voice, drawing out each syllable in a sickeningly slow caress.

Helen gasped and shot up in her seat, nearly falling off in the process. She jumped to her feet and whipped around, heart hammering loudly in her chest. She immediately scanned each corner of the room but found nothing out of place. Her tea cup sat lonely and cold exactly where she'd left it atop the small computer desk and the fireplace was still dimly burning its last embers, casting a warm glow about the darkened room. Everything appeared perfectly normal, yet on some deeper level, Helen knew it wasn't. She stood frozen in place staring at the door to her office which was closed and locked securely. Her mind's eye conjured the image of it open once more, hinges scraping as it creaked back and forth. She shook her head and willed the thought away. It had to have been a dream.

Even though she knew it was absurd, she just couldn't bring herself to approach the closed door on the south side of her office. Instead, she made towards the main entrance adjacent to her desk trying her best not to look behind her as she felt the familiar sensation of eyes studying her every move. As she crossed behind the beautiful, hand-crafted writing table she carefully reached into the second drawer and withdrew her spare sig pro, discreetly slipping it into the pocket of her robe. She had almost made it all the way to the door when a piece of paper fluttered to the floor at her feet. She bent down to pick it up, instantly recognizing it as the message sent with her flowers. Helen's face was a mask of neutrality, but inside her heart pounded faster.

_'You are exhausted and imagining things. Pull it together!'_ She inwardly chastised herself. _'It doesn't mean anything.'_

Silently, on her way out, she walked over to the small pedestal table and propped the card up against the vase before resolutely striding past the threshold, never once daring to look back.


End file.
